One of UNESCO's most important publishing projects in the last thirty years, the General History of Africa marks a major breakthrough in the recognition of Africa's cultural heritage.

In volume IV, chapter I gives a general introducation to the themes and major areas covered in the subsequent chapters. Chapters 2-5 deal with the Magrhib, the impact of the Almohads, Western civilization and the post-Almohad society. Chapters 7-11 look at the Sudanese Mali region including the Niger Bend and the Volta Basin, while chapters 12-14 examine the development in the Casamance to Cameroon region in relation to early contacts with Europeans (Portuguese). Developments in Egypt and the Nile Valley and the Horn of Africa are dealt with in chapters 15-17, while those in East and Central Africa, including the rise of Swahili civilization, are discussed in chapters 18-21. The rest of Africa: Equatorial Africa, Angola, southern Africa and Madagascar including relations between regions, is covered in chapters 22-26. Chapter 27 concludes the discussion.